Chapter 27
Chapter twenty-seven
Emma
Hidden albums.
~ Two Day Later ~
We got home yesterday near 4:00 in the afternoon, and from the moment we walked through the door, Gracie was showered with love.
I don’t know how my parents ever left for weeks to go on vacation without me. I could never do that with Gracie. Although my parents are far from the best example, well, at least my mother is.
The girls all came over once the boys left for practice this morning and now sit in my living room, listening to the details of our little trip.
“That sounds terrible. I don’t think I could ever do that,” Aubrey says with a terrified look on her face after I’ve finished telling them about our hotel room activities.
“That’s because you’ve never had sex, Brey. Trust me, once you do, you’ll find yourself wanting to explore all there is to it,” Ronnie informs her. “I actually love anal sex.”
“It’s true. It’s actually quite nice, but definitely not something I would do often,” Cecilia adds with wide eyes.
“You couldn’t even sit for a week after doing anal with Sy. No wonder it’s not something you want to do often,” Morg says, laughing away.
“Have you seen the size of his monster?! Of course I couldn’t sit for a week! I could still feel it down my throat three days later, and I’m pretty sure it took over forty-eight hours for my hole to come back to its normal size.”
“I have not. But from what I’ve seen through his boxers or swim shorts, that thing should have its own zip code.” Morgan giggles with an impressed expression as we all nod in agreement, except for Ronnie, who hasn’t had the chance to admire Cecilia’s husband’s junk yet.
“Honestly, I still don’t know how you manage to fit all that in hole number one with how tiny you are. Greyson isn’t as long, yet he hits the back every time. I don’t think I could fit another inch in there,” I tell Cece.
“I still don’t know how I manage to make it fit!” Cece exclaims, making us all fall into a fit of laughter.
“Ew, please don’t describe my brother’s privates. It’s not a visual I want to have.” Aubrey puts her hands in front of her eyes as if it might stop the image from showing up in her mind.
“You told me you’ve seen his weewee before.” Ronnie frowns at Brey.
“Exactly why I don’t need to hear about it more!” she answers with a glare.
I smirk, knowing exactly how to take her mind off that particular subject. “So, baby Brey. How was the cooking class? Did a certain coach happen to be there?” I wiggle my brow in her direction. Her special cooking class was the day after my birthday, and we’re all curious about how it went.
Instantly her cheeks turn pink, eyes growing in size. “What? No. Why would you say that? Why would he be there? He wasn’t.” She’s rambling.
“Breathe.” Morg places her hand on Aubrey’s arm with a humored smile.
“Okay, so if he wasn’t there, why are you all red?” I giggle. She’s clearly not saying something.
“Dub, Dub, Dub. Grrrrr. Raaarrr.” Gracie crawls around the living room table while Dante follows behind on two feet.
“Key! Key!” He holds his favorite hockey stick in hand, trying to get Little Tulip’s attention.
“Oh, baby. I think Princess Dino is still a little too young to play hockey. Maybe in a couple of months, okay? Why don’t you play with the toy cars instead?” Cecilia tells him, directing him toward the toys and taking his stick away.
When she returns to the couch, she drops down with a huff. “He brings that thing everywhere with him, even in the shower.”
“They’re so adorable together,” Aubrey says as she admires the two little ones.
“Don’t try to change the subject, we aren’t finished with you. So tell us, what are you hiding?” I narrow my eyes, making her sweat under my stare.
“I… I went to his office the next day to give him some of the things we baked as a thank you for the gift,” she mumbles, turning a different shade of red. She flaps her hand in her face. “Why is it so hot in here? Can I open a bottle of wine? I need a drink.”
She goes to get up, but Morgan stops her. “Nope, you stay right there. I’ll get the wine, and you’ll tell us the rest of that story.”
Aubrey groans into her hands while Morg goes off to make us each a glass.
“So, what happened?” Cece presses for the answers we all want.
“His door was closed when I arrived, and I couldn’t work up the nerve to knock.
I was about to walk away when his door suddenly swung open, and there he was.
I stuck the plate out toward him and told him I wanted to thank him for the class with some of the things I made.
He smiled and went to take the plate, but instead touched my hand.
” She passes her fingers through her hair nervously.
“I freaked out and dropped it on the floor, ruining everything in it. Then I started apologizing over and over and practically ran away. I didn’t even help him clean up!
” she rushes out, grabbing the glass of wine Morgan passes to her, draining half of it in one swallow.
“I’ll never be able to face him again!” She brings the glass back to her lips and finishes it completely.
Morgan, still standing by her side, takes the glass back with huge eyes. “I’ll go refill this.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad…” Ronnie says with a pinched expression.
“No, you’re right. It was worse!”
Cecilia giggles. “Oh, come on. I’m sure Shane understands you were just nervous.”
“I’m sure if you hadn’t dropped the plate, he would have done it himself. He’s just as nervous around you, too,” Morg tells her as she finally sits back down after handing out all the wine glasses and a new one to Brey.
“He probably thinks I’m immature now… Ugh! Can we change the subject? I don’t want to think about that anymore. No one has anything better to talk about?” She looks around at all of us, waiting for someone to speak up.
I guess this is a good time to talk about what’s been running through my mind. “Greyson said he loved me.”
All eyes turn to me, excitement running through each of them.
“I told you he did,” Aubrey says with a tender smile.
“He said it while I was asleep. Well, he thought I was asleep.” I look down at my hands, picking at my nails.
“Wait, what?” Ronnie asks with a confused frown.
“Yup. I don’t know what to think about that.”
“Explain it to us,” Cecilia says.
“Well, when we got to our hotel room, we were making out on the bed, and then I was sure he was about to say it. But you called just as he started talking.” I look at Morgan.
“Then we went on to have sex and even talked a bit before falling asleep, but he never tried again to say it. That is until he thought I was sleeping.” I shrug like it’s no big deal.
But the truth is, it’s been bothering me.
Why would he say it only when I’m unconscious? Has he said it before, and I just didn’t know?
“Maybe he’s just scared to say it? It took Clay a long time to say it. It wasn’t until I found out about his hookup and left him that he finally told me he loved me,” Morgan offers as a valid reason. Maybe…
“He does love you, Em. Trust me, I know my brother. Did you know Grey hadn’t touched a piano in years?
Not until you two started dating, and I found him sneaking off to Morgan’s basement to play when no one was watching.
Every time he played that same song, I knew it was about you,” Aubrey says quietly with a warm smile.
“She’s right. He might not say the actual words, but he shows it through his actions. And I think that should count as well. We can all feel the love he has for you just in the way he looks at you,” Cece adds, placing her hand on my thigh.
“It’s true. Even I could feel it, and I’m immune to that kind of thing.” Ronnie points a finger at herself.
We’re all giggling just as Grey walks in.
“Hello, ladies,” he says as he strolls over, heading to his daughter first. He picks her up and smooches her cheeks and neck until she’s squealing hysterically.
Ugh, my ovaries. “How’s my beautiful princess doing today?
Are you talking yet? Can you say Dada? Come on, say Dada,” he tries, but she doesn’t respond, only babbles on in her own little language.
“Is it normal for her to still not be saying anything?” I direct my question to Cece.
“It is. Each kid learns at their own pace. Dante is a fast learner, but that’s him. She’ll say something when she feels ready,” she reassures us.
I know Greyson was starting to question if something was wrong with her since apparently most babies at ten months would have already said mama or dada by now.
“That’s good to know,” Grey says as he places Gracie back on the ground, ruffling Dante’s hair before walking over to me. “Hi, baby.” He leans in, one hand sliding through my hair as he kisses me.
“Mmm, hi. How was practice?” I ask with my eyes closed as I smile against his lips.
I love when he comes home. It always feels like something is missing when he’s not here. And then he gets back, and I finally feel whole again. Greyson is my home.
He pulls back, dropping his hand and standing straight. “It was good, all ready for our game tonight. But I’m exhausted. You mind if I go nap for a bit?”
“Not at all, we’ll keep it down. There’s food in the fridge for you if you’re hungry.”
“You’re perfect. I’ll have it after my nap. Thank you.” He comes back in for a final kiss. “Bye, ladies,” he says as he walks away, stopping at the kitchen island to plug in his phone, then heads up the stairs.
We all watch him leave, then turn back to each other. “So did you ever go through his phone like I told you?” Brey asks while sipping her second glass of wine.
“Oh! No, I had completely forgotten about that,” I tell her, looking back at the phone, then the stairs. “Should I? Isn’t that invading his privacy?”
“Usually, I would say yes. But if it’s pictures of you, then not really. Plus, I really want to see what’s on there. Go. Go get it,” Cece says, looking a little too excited.